1. A UTOPSIES

2. A UTOPSY B ASICS Performed by a forensic pathologist – a medical doctor who is trained to identify why and how someone died and present those finding in court. At the scene – Postmortem interval is estimated (amount of time since death) In the ME’s office: Determine cause, manner & mechanism of death

3. By law, deaths that occur under the following circumstances must be investigated: Violent crime, suicide, or accident Within 24 hours of entering a hospital or as a result of surgery A natural death when a doctor is not present or the patient is not under the care of a medical facility Occurs in police custody or in a correctional facility Results from a communicable disease that may pose a threat to public health http://www.nlm.nih.gov/visibleproofs/education/me dical/video_5_high_wmv.html

4. U SED TO C OLLECT V ITREOUS bsapp.com

5. T AGS & H EART N EEDLE bsapp.com

6. X-R AY bsapp.com

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9. A UTOPSY R OOM bsapp.com

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11. E XTERNAL E XAMINATION Trace Evidence Sign of injury or mistreatment Sign of illness, disease, or abnormalities http://www.nlm.nih.gov/visibleproofs/e ducation/medical/vi deo_7_high_wmv.ht ml bsapp.com

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13. B ODY B LOCK bsapp.com

14. P ROCEDURE A Y-incision is made on the torso to expose the inner organs

15. O PENING THE C HEST Skin & muscle, are pulled from the chest wall Chest Plate is extracted Heart is extracted bsapp.com

16. P ROCEDURE Each organ is removed, weighed, carefully observed, and a sample is taken and sent to appropriate people Toxicology Histology Neuropathology Serology http://www.nlm.nih.gov/visibleproofs/education/medic al/video_11_high_wmv.html

17. R EMOVING THE B RAIN The Scalp is cut ear to ear across the crown of the head bsapp.com

18. E XPOSING THE S KULL Next the scalp is pulled forward and back to expose the skull bsapp.com

19. E XPOSING THE B RAIN Two methods of cutting the skull cap bsapp.com

20. R EMOVAL OF THE B RAIN Spinal Cord is cut The soft brain is removed Brain is so soft it must be placed in formaldehyde for about a week before an in depth examination bsapp.com

21. W HAT TO LOOK FOR : Blood for DNA – ME’s collect blood from arteries for identification and toxicology (determines drug & alcohol content). Dried blood on skin could be from perpetrator Semen – If sexual assault is suspected Hair – a “control sample” is collected to compare to unknown hairs found at the scene Tissue – Tissue samples are sent to histology for analysis Fingernails – Could contain DNA from perpetrator if a violent crime Bite Marks – Images sent to forensic odontologists

22. C LOSE U P Skull cap is replace Skin pulled back in place Body Organs may or may not be replaced Incisions are sewn up with the use of a baseball stitch A Report is made bsapp.com

23. V IRTOPSY http://www.nlm.nih.gov/v isibleproofs/education/me dical/video_14_high_wm v.html http://www.virtopsy.com/